Improvement in machines for drying cloth



i I I UNITED STATESMNPATENT OEEIcE.

ANDREV CHAMBERS, OF PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND.

IMPROVEMENT IN MACHINES FOR DRYING CLOTH.

Specification forming `part of Letters Patent No. 83,690, dated November3, 1868.

. and State of Rhode Island, have-invented a new and useful Improvementin Drying Apparatus for Cloth and other Substances; and

I do hereby declare that the following is a full,

clear, and exact description thereof, which will enable those skilled inthe art to make and use the same, reference being had tothe'accompanying drawings, forming part of Athis specification.

The nature of my invention relates to that class of machinery for dryingcloth and other substances when air, either hot or cold, is used as thedrying medium, and when the article to bc dried is conveyed past ablastof air which is blown against the same during its passage from thepoint of its ingress to the machine, in a wet condition, to the point ofegress in a dried condition; and it consists in a series of two or morecylinders, parallel to each other, on a suitable frame, having for theircovering wire-cloth or other similar material, and a series ofguiding-rollers for conveying the article to be dried around the same,while a series of rotating fans within the said cylinders is.

made 'to force a continuous blast of air outwardly through the meshes ofthe said coverin g 1naterial,and also through the article being conveyedaround the same, as will be more clearly described by reference to thedrawings, in which- Figure l represents a side elevation. Fig. 2represents a horizontal section on the line a' fr, Fig. 1. Fig. 3represents a vertical longitudinal section on the line y y of Fig. 2.Fig. 4 represents a modification of my invention, showing itsapplication to drying wool.

Similar letters refer to like parts in all the figures.

A represents the frame upon which the several parts of the machine aremounted. B represents the drying-cylinders, being so constructed as tohave a bearing at each end on an extension of the journal-boxes, asshown at D, on which they'fmay have a slow rotary motion independentlyof the axles of the fanblowers C. rlhey are connected together bypinions E, working into external gearing on each of thecyli11der-`heads,and are provided with central openings in one end forthe admission of air. The cylindrical portion of the same is composed,preferably, of wire-cloth, or it may be of perforated sheet-iron orother similar material. Within the said cylinders are arranged thefan-blowers C upon the axles F, to which motion may be communicated by abelt, G, from a pulley on a driving-shaft, I-I. Motion is communicatedto the cylinders by means of a belt, I, also working from a pulley onthe driving-shaft H.

L Ll L2 L3 L4 represent a series of guidingrollers, arranged in theproper position relatively to the cylinders to give such direction tothe web or fabric to be dried as will bring it into contact with thecylinders for the great est length of time during its passage throughthe machine, as is plainly shown `in Figs. 1 and 3.

When a woven fabric is to be dried it is wound on a cylinder and placedin the vertically-slotted bearings o. One end is then passed under theguide-roller L, thence under guide-roller Ll and around the cylinderabove it to guide-roller L2, and thence around the other guide-rollersand cylinders in the same manner to the take-up roller N, onto which itis wound under a presser-roller, p. The said take-up roller is operated,and the proper tension is maintained on the fabric, by the lbelt K,working from a pulley on the driving-shaft H to a pulley on the rollerN. Motion being now communicated to the cylinders and the fans by powerapplied to the driving-shaft, the fabric will be drawn off the roll M,through the machine, and onto the take-up roller, while at the same timeblasts of air, either -hot or cold, will be blown against and throughthe fabric as it passes along, by which operations the drying iseii'ected.

In Fig. 4 I have represented a modification of my invention, showing itsadaptation to drying cotton-wool. l? represents an endless belt orapron, provided with cross-pieces of wood or other suitable material,and arranged at suitable distances apart to control the wool anddistribute it properly over the surface of the drying-cylinders as it iscarried around the same between their outer surface and the side of thebelt, as is plainly shown in the drawings, motion being communicated tothe apron by What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

The arran gement of the perforated cylinders B B, geared as described,independent fans C C, guide-rollers L L1 L2 L3 L4, feed and take-uprolls M N, presser-roll O', shaft H, and belts G I K, all operating asdescribed,'for the purpose specified.

ANDREW CHAMBERS.

Witnesses:

JAMES BARBOUR, JOHN HEATHCOTE.

